In 2023, Western Michigan University's volleyball team went on a roll, amassing a 31-3 record including an 18-0 mark in winning the Mid-American Conference regular season and tournament titles.

With 10 out of 15 players on the roster returning, is there any pressure on the Broncos to duplicate last season's success?

"I don't think about 31-3 pressure for this season," Colleen Munson, who is entering her 20th season as WMU's head coach, said. "We're not focusing on repeats or wins…we're focusing on the process that got us to what we are striving to attain.

"We're not talking about last year's record, we just go day to day and we are very intentional on celebrating what we did well, then resetting for the next challenge."

The process starts with welcoming back the Fearsome Foursome of players who are using their COVID year of eligibility – MAC Setter of the Year and All-American Logan Case, libero and All-American Andelyn Simkins, and outside hitters Keona Salesman and Anna Calcagno. Simkins was the MAC Defensive Player of the Year and Salesman and Calcagno made the All-MAC Second Team.

Also returning are seniors Julia Marr (outside hitter) and Madison Merz (middle blocker) along with juniors Reeghan Boyer (defensive specialist), Mary Clare Brusek (middle blocker, All-MAC Second Team) and Amanda Glanton (middle blocker).

WMU's one redshirt sophomore is setter Maddie Kmetz. There are no true sophomores on the team because there weren't any freshmen on last year's team. That changed this season, as there are five first-year players in setter Leah Richmond, defensive specialist Carley Piercefield and outside hitters Elana Erickson, Annalise Patchett and Camille Morrison.

WMU opens the season at home with three matches in the Western Michigan Tournament on Aug. 30-Sept. 1. The Broncos open the MAC season on Sept. 27 and 28th with matches against Buffalo.

Case is the WMU career leader in assists, 5,097; assists per set, 11.88; and assists and digs double-doubles, 46. Simkins is fourth all-time in digs with 1,700 and digs per set, 4.08. Last season, Salesman had 386 kills and a .290 hitting percentage. Calcagno added 363 kills and was the team leader in blocks with 81. Glanton added 75 blocks and Brusek 69.

The team captains are Case, Simkins, Boyer and Calcagno.

"In my sophomore year, we didn't have any freshmen, so this my first time with freshmen and I love it," Boyer said. "I love the new faces and the competitive spirit in the gym.

"As a captain and person closest in age to the freshmen, I take that role of making sure they are doing well in school, obviously they could be homesick so you include them in whatever you are doing, eat with them and help them in practice."

Replacing an All-MAC outside hitter in Maggie King along with defensive specialist Mairead Boyle and outside hitter Abi Wilcoxson are on the top of the to-do list.

"We have depth on this team and our veterans are really doing a great job," Munson said. "When you have talented athletes graduate who have been in the program for years, there is now an opportunity for other people to step up and it's great to see that happen.

"We need everyone in practices and matches to be dialed in because it's a long road…the journey is just beginning."

Added Simkins about the depth: "I think the freshmen have found their voice, and when the people who have been here are allowing the freshmen to use their voices, it makes them more comfortable to speak up and be their own person, not someone else."

Munson has always had a player-led team where anyone can speak up. An example of that was shown at the end of a recent practice when the head coach, as usual, asked the players, 'What have we learned today?' Three players spoke up, but only one of them was a captain.

"The job of a captain becomes easier when everyone is leading themselves and now we have a culture of everyone's voice matters, everyone's perspective is important," Munson said.

The perspective of the veterans of what happened in the NCAA Tournament last season is invaluable. WMU upset the region's No. 7 seed, Auburn, 3-0, before being ousted by No. 2 and host Louisville, 26-24, 25-18, 25-22 before a crowd of 5,529.

"After Louisville, I felt we could have won," Simkins said. "We were so close, and what's so awesome is we're picking up from last year and the returners can bring that experience this season."

Added Boyer: "I wanted to play Louisville again the next day. After that match, I wanted to compete again. I wanted to be back on the stage again and I wanted to win even more."

That will be tough this season. The players wanted a tougher non-conference schedule and they got it, playing Clemson (ACC), Kansas (Big 12), Marquette (Big East), Michigan State (Big Ten), Tennessee (SEC) and James Madison (Sun Belt).

"In order to beat teams like Louisville, we may not have a player-for-player lineup, but we're going to be the best in our system to stay true to who we are," Munson said. "With our heart, passion and experience, I think we couldn't schedule any less than what we did, learn from that and grow in every match."

The system earned the Broncos a 31-3 record last season, showing the system works.